Backing fabric lateral shifting arrangement for tufting and like machines



Nov- 14, 1967 .1. A. COBBLE, SR. ETAL 3,352,265

BACKING FABRIC LATERAL SHIFTING ARRANGEMENT FOR TUFTING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 21, 1965 ATTORNEYS Nov- 14, 96 J. A. COBBLE, SR, ETAL 3,352,255

BACKING FABRIC LATERAL SHIFTING ARRANGEMENT FOR 'TUFTING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed April 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/II m m w James flC'oeaz 4-; SR. J/wms r9 62651.5, J5.

M v ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,352,265 BACKING FABRIC LATERAL SHIFTING AR- RANGEMENT FOR TUFTING AND LIKE MA- CHINES James A. Cobble, Sr., Harrison, and James A. Cobble,

Jr., East Chattanooga, Tenn., assignors to Southern Machine Company, Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Filed Apr. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 449,709 8 Claims. (Cl. 112-79) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for producing patterns in tufted fabrics, wherein the lateral step between adjacent loops in each row is not confined to integers of gauge width and upon which tufted articles of both the relatively heavy and relatively light variety can be produced. The apparatus includes a transversely reciprocable presserfoot having spikes thereon which enter the backing fabric 180 degrees out of phase with the vertically reciprocating needles, shift the backing fabric laterally according to a predetermined plan, remain in the backing fabric and travel downstream therewith during the loop inserting descent of the needle into the backing fabric, then withdraw from the backing fabric and retreat upstream for reinsertion and shifting of the backing fabric, and means for accomplishing automatic upstream repositioning of the Walking spike carrying presserfoot upon its withdrawal from the continuously moving backing fabric.

The foregoing abstract is not intended to be a comprehensive discussion of all of the principles, possible modes or applications of the invention disclosed in this document and should not be used to interpret the scope of the claims which appear at the end of this specification.

The present invention relates to tufting apparatus and more particularly to means for producing tufted carpeting having a predeterminable pattern of tufts thereon.

Conventional tufting machines operate upon previously produced backing fabric, usually a woven reticulated strip which is conveyed through the machine and through the openings of which are projected loops of yarn or similar fiber bodies. The loops may be cut in order to form cut pile and a backing coating may be applied to the opposite side of the tufted fabric from the pile in order to insure retention of the yarn by the backing fabric.

Conventional tufting machines usually include a gang of thread or yarn carrying needles, a gang of thread engageable members, such as loopers and/or cutters, below the needles and operatively associated therewith, and a bed plate and needle plate disposed intermediate the needles and loopers or cutters. The needles usually are reciprocated in a vertical stroke to pass yarn through a backing moving through the machine and supported by the bed plate and needle plate. The loopers and/or cutters engage the yarn after it has passed through the backing and form the appropriate cut pile tuft or uncut pile loops. Thus, each of the needles and its associated looper and/ or cutter can form a line of stitching in the backing to provide the face pile.

In some convefitional tufting machines, when it is desired to change the depth of the pile being produced, the vertical position of the needle platehas to be adjusted, as by removing it from the bed plate and shimming it up or down to the right position. At the same time, however, it is necessary for the stroke of the needles to be increased for increased pile depth or decreased for decreased pile depth. Heretofore, such change in the stroke of the needles would alter the stroke at both ends, that is, if the stroke were increased, the needles would go down to a lower position than before and to a higher position than before. This obviously changed the relationship of the needles to the loopers and/or cutters when the needles were at the bottom of their stroke, thereby necessitating some further adjustment, usually effected by appropriately changing the vertical position of the needles in the needle carrier, in order that the bottom of the needle stroke would be maintained in proper relation to the loopers and/ or cutters.

Understandably, this procedure makes the operation of adjustment of the machines for changes in pile depth arduous, time consuming and demanding.

Accordingly, various structures have been proposed as exemplified by the United States Patent to Cobble et al No. 2,977,905 for simplifying and facilitating the adjustment of tufting machines to obtain desired changes of the depth of pile of tufted articles produced on such machines. Specifically, that patent provided means for adjusting the stroke of the needles so that upon changing the length of path of reciprocation of the gang of needles, their lowermost extent of travel remains unchanged and only the uppermost extent of travel changes. Accordingly, the relationship between the needles and the loopers and cutters remains unchanged. The remaining adjustment involves changing the position at which the backing fabric is supported relative to the needles at the point where the pile loops are inserted in the backing fabric. The Cobble et al. patent aforementioned provided a vertically adjustable needle plate support secured to an outer face of the bed plate of the tufting machine and cantilevered thereover to a point above the loopers and cutters.

In conventional tufting machines, the backing fabric is held taut at the point of tufting between a pair of spiked feed rolls, one positioned upstream from the vertically reciprocating needles, the other positioned downstream from the needles. It should be apparent that the yarn inserted in the backing fabric by such machines is substantially in a plurality of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending straight and parallel rows. While such a pattern is not undesirable where the yarn is all of one color, in instances where two or more colors of yarn are to be used, the pattern produceable with such conventional machines is limited to longitudinally extending stripes which many potential purchasers of tufted products consider to be monotonous and unappealing.

Accordingly, much effort has been put forth by those skilled in the art to find efficient means for producing patterns other than longitudinal straight line stripes of yarn on tufted articles.

In one prior art arrangement, means are provided for shifting the vertically reciprocating needles laterally between strokes so that they insert yarn in other than straight rows. A serious drawback of this arrangement is that each lateral incermental movement must equal exactly one gauge width, otherwise the needles upon descending will not be properly oriented with respect to the loopers so that the latter can intercept and retain the loops of yarn inserted through the backing fabric. Additionally, a lateral movement of less or more than a whole number of gauge widths would place the needles in paths of descent in which some or all of them might strike the horizontally projecting pins of the stationary needle plate and thus damage both the needles and the needle plate. While it might be theoretically possible to laterally move the needle carrying bar less than or greater than one gauge width, i.e. the distance between any pair of adjacent needles, this is not actually possible because vibration, wear of parts and slight bending of any of the needles or needle plate pins during continued operation of the tufting apparatus make it impossible to predict with certainty the actual path of every needle during each trip. If the needles were to be positioned other than centrally of the gaps between adnomically slow speed. Attempts to run such arrangements at high speed results in excessive wear of cams and the like as well as frequent torsional failure of the associated patrs. Accordingly, such arrangements have become confined to use in producing chenille and other relatively light fabrics rather than carpeting and similar heavy tufted articles.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus for producing patterns in tufted fabrics, wherein the lateral step between adjacent loops in each row is not confined to integers of guage width and upon which tufted articles of both the relatively heavy and relatively light variety can be produced Without excessive wear of the tufting machine parts and which does not constitute a bottleneck to the speed at which the tufting machine may be operated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the type described including a transversely reciprocable presserfoot having spikes thereon which enter the backing fabric 180 degrees out of phase with the vertically reciprocating needles, shift the backing fabric laterally according to a predetermined plan, remain in the backing fabric and travel downstream therewith during the loop inserting descent of the needles into the backing fabric, then withdraw from the backing fabric and retreat upstream for reinsertion and shifting of the backing fabric.

Another object of the invention is the provision in apparatus of the character described of resilient means for accomplishing automatic upstream repositioning of the walking spike carrying presserfoot upon its withdrawal from the continuously moving backing fabric.

A more general object of the present invention is the provision of backing fabric lateral shifting apparatus which is susceptible of use with both heavy and light weight backing fabrics to produce both even height and random height pile, as desired, according to predeterminable patterns which may be chosen, along with colorvariegated yarns to produce tufted articles having apparent random texture.

These and further objects of the present invention as well as the principles and scope of effective applicability thereof should become more clearly apparent during the following detailed discussion which relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention as it is illustrated in the drawings which are attached hereto.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of a tufting machine according to the present invention conventional portions of the machine including the needles, needle raising and lowering mechanism, loopers, loop cutters, cloth tensioning and feeding spiked rolls, and needle plate have been omitted for clarity since they do not per se form part of the present invention. Exemplary apparatus including these elements is wellillustrated in the U.S. patent to Cobble et al., 2,977,905, and our copending US. patent application entitled, Tufting Machine Having Vertically Adjustable Needle Plate, Ser. No. 439,252, filed Mar. 12, 1965, whose disclosures are intended to be expressly incorporated by this reference.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary end elevation view of the machine of FIGURE 1, showing the right leg thereof; parts being broken away to expose details otherwise hidden from view;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary end elevation view of the machine of FIGURE 1, showing the left leg thereof; parts being broken away to expose details otherwise hidden from view;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

The tufting machine 10 includes a right leg 12 and a left leg 14 which support the generally horizontal head 16 between them. The legs 12 and 14 not only provide support, but also enclose many of the operating components of the tufting machine, some of which will be described hereinafter. Also extending between the legs 12 and 14 and supported thereby is the bed plate whose upper surface is indicated diagramatically in several of the figures at 18. One major function of the bed plate is to support the backing fabric in the region where yarn loops are being inserted through the backing fabric by a gang of vertically reciprocating needles.

Within the head 16 are positioned several components which coact to raise and lower a row of vertically oriented laterally spaced needles substantially along the vertical centerline 20 of the head 16. The needles reciprocate along this path between an upper position wherein their lower ends are above the upper surface 18 of the bed plate and a lower position wherein their lower ends are below the bed plate. In the former position the needles are withdrawn from the backing fabric, in the latter position the needles project through the backing fabric and carry yarn loops to positions where they can be caught, and ifdesired, cut, by loopers and knives disposed below the bed plate as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent and application. Of course, the bed plate is slotted or otherwise open immediately in the path of the needles in order to provide for their reciprocation therethrough. Spiked rolls or similar fabric gripping devices are usually positioned adjacent the upstream 22 and downstream 24 ends of the bed plate in order to continuously draw the backing fabric in the direction of the arrow 26 (FIGURE 2) through the machine.

The cloth step-over assembly 28 now to be described has been shown in the drawings as if it were an after added, removable attachement to a dial-type tufting machine as illustrated in the patent and copending application mentioned hereinbefore because one market for the assembly 28 comprises users of such machines or new purchasers thereof who wish the same as optional, detachable equipment. However, it is apparent that without departing from the principles of the present invention the cloth step-over assembly 28 could be built into the machine 10 as a permanent integral part thereof.

In the rear elevation view of the tufting machine 10 which is designated FIGURE 1, the width of the machine between the left and right legs thereof has been abbreviated for the purpose of clearer illustration because the intermediate structure merely comprises one or more repetitions of the structure included between the lines AA and BB of FIGURE 1. The number of repetitions depends upon the maximum width of tufted articles to be produced on the machine.

The step-over assembly 28 is driven from the main drive shaft 30 of the machine which pxtends from the right leg 12 through the head 16 to the left leg 14 thereof, by means of a sprocket drive 32 to the input shaft 34 of the speed reducer 36 mounted on the machine left leg 14 by a bracket 37. A disk-like cam 38 is mounted on the output shaft 40 of the speed reducer 36 and includes a cam track 42 machined into the axial face 44 thereof, the track 42 having a radially outer, radially inwardly facing surface 46 and a radially inner, radially outwardly facing surface 48. The surfaces 46 and 48 define between them the annular track 42 which has a constant width but varying mean radius. The configuration of the cam track 42 determines the ultimate pattern of the pile inserted in the backing fabric. As can be best discerned fro-m FIGURES 1 and 3, the cam 38 can be easily replaced with similar cams having tracks of different shape in order to produce other patterns. The cam 38 has been shown having eight steps 50 on the track thereof; obviously by varying the diameter of the cam provided a greater or lesser number of steps could be provided in order to increase or decrease the length of the cycle of repetition. As will be appreciated, the arcuate length of each step 50 determines the longitudinal distance along the carpet which will be affected by that step since the rotational speed of the cam 38 is constant. In other words, if one step 50 had twice the length of an adjoining step 50, the first step would affect twice the number of yarn loop insertions as the second step, for instance the first step might affect two yarn loop insertions and the second step affect a single yarn loop insertion for each rotation of the cam 38. The amount of radial disparity between adjacent steps 50 controls the amount of lateral shift of the backing material and hence the pattern of yarn loops on the carpeting as will be further explained hereinafter.

A cam follower in the form of a cylindrical roller 52 is disposed in the track 42 at the 9 oclock position thereof as seen in FIGURE 1. The roller 52 is mounted on a shaft 54 for rotation, the shaft 54 being mounted on an offset plate 56 near the horizontal centerline thereof by a nut 57. The plate 56 includes a downward projection 58 which is cylindrically slotted and bifurcated in order for the plate to be received on, secured to and supported by a shaft 60, for instance by a cap screw 62. The shaft 60 is horizontally directed and is mounted for rotation about its own longitudinal axis in a pair of pillow block bearings 64 secured to the bracket 37. Accordingly, upon rotation of the cam disk 38, the plate 56 is reciprocated parallel to the plane of FIGURE 1 about a pivot point coincident with the shaft 60 longitudinal axis.

As can best be seen in FIGURE 1, the plate 56 has a vertical slot 66 therethrough spaced laterally from the came follower 52 toward the left leg 14.

A pair of pillow block bearings 68, similar to the bearings 64, are mounted in horizontal alignment on the in wardly facing surface 70 of the left leg 14. journalled for rotation about its own longitudinal axis in the bearings 68 is a jackshaft 72 which extends horizontally in a direction parallel to that of the path of backing fabric through the machine 10. Near the foremost end of the jackshaft 72 (which is actually its rear end inasmuch as FIGURE 1 is a rear elevation view) a long jackshaft rocker arm 74 is mounted thereon for instance by a bifurcation leading to a cylindrical slot and capscrews 76 best seen in FIGURE 4. The rocker arm 74 extends significantly radially downwardly from the shaft 72 and includes an elongated slot 78 therethrough. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the orientation just described is exemplary since the arm 74 could be made to extend upwardly without affecting the operation of the apparatus to be described here- "inafter.

An elongated rod-like connecting link 80 having an opening 82 through it adjacent each end is secured to both the offset plate 56 and the rocker arm 74 by capscrew, bolt and bearing assemblies 83 one of which projects through an opening 84 and slot 66 and the other of which projects through the other opening 84 and the slot 78. The amplitude of lateral movement transmitted to the backing fabric can be adjusted by varying the location of the ends of the connecting link 80 along the slots 66 and 78 as will now be apparent to persons having skill in the art. It will now be seen that upon rotation of the cam disk 38 an oscillating motion will be imparted to the connecting link 80, said motion including longitudinal reciprocation of the link such as to cause reciprocation of the rocker arm 74 coincident with the longitudinal axis of the jackshaft 72 cffecting a reciprocation of the jackshaft 72 about its own longitudinal axis.

Near the end of the jackshaft 72 which is nearest the front of the machine 10, a shorter rocker arm 86 than the rocker arm 74 is secured thereon, for instance by a bifurcation leading to a circular slot and a capscrew 88, best shown in FIGURE 4. The rocker arm 86 is shown extending radially downwardly and having a vertical slot 90 whose longitudinal axis is parallel to that of the jackshaft 72. A rod 92 is connected adjacent one end thereof to the rocker arm 86, for instance by a capscrew and bolt assembly 94 secured through the slot 90.

To the bottom wall 96 of the head 16 near the rear thereof are mounted a plurality of axially aligned pillowblock bearings 98, for instance by capscrews 100. An elongated shaft 102 is journalled in the bearings 98 and extends beneath the head 16 and through suitable openings into the right and left legs 12 and 14 wherein it is journalled in flange bearings 104, 106 mounted interiorly of the inner walls 108, of the legs 12, 14 respectively. As shown best in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the shaft 102 projects slightly beyond the flange bearings 104 and 106 to receive an elongated drive lever 112 within each leg which form a part of the vertical reciprocation mechanism to be described hereinafter.

The vertical reciprocation mechanism is driven from the main drive shaft 30 of the machine 10 by way of identical eccentrically mounted disk-like cams 114, encompassed by the generally circular slots 116 at the upper ends of connecting rods 118. The cams 114 are fixedly secured to the shaft 30, the outer peripheries of the cams being rotably slidable with respect to the peripheral surfaces of the connecting rod slots 116.

Accordingly, rotation of the shaft 30 causes a vertically elongated oscillatory movement of the connecting rods 118. The lower ends of the rods 118 are secured, for instance by pin, capscrew, nut and bearing assemblies 120 through radially elongated slots 122 in the drive levers 112. Through this arrangement, vertical oscillation of the connecting rods 118 produces a rocking motion in the shaft 102, i.e. reciprocation of the shaft 102 about its own longitudinal axis.

At a plurality of points along the shaft 102, between the legs 12 and 14 and interdigitated among the pillowblock bearings 98, a plurality of rocker arms or lift levers 124, similar in structure to the rocker arm 86, are mounted so as to extend generally horizontally toward, but short of, the plane of needle reciprocation, the latter being substantially at the vertical centerline plane of the head 16.

By universal joints 126, adjustable length lifting bars 128 are connnected one each to the lift levers 124 near the outer ends thereof from the shaft 102. Each lifting bar comprises an upper exteriorly threaded bar-like portion threadably received in the upper end of an interiorly threaded tube-like portion so that relative rotation of these portions prior to assembly thereto of the parts now to be discussed determines the height of such parts relative to the backing fabric and bed plate.

An opening is formed horizontally through each lifting bar 128 near the lower end of the lower portion thereof. The longitudinal axis of each opening 130 is substantially parallel to the vertical planes in which the lift levers 124 reciprocate as the shaft 102 rocks.

A generally horizontal spike bar 132 which extends parallel to the shaft 102 and having a length slightly shorter than the head 16 is secured to the lifting bars 128 by pivot pins 134 which extend through suitable openings in the bar 132 and through the openings 130 in the lifting bars 128. At least one row (two are shown) of vertically downwardly directed spikes 136 are secured to the bar 132 and extend substantially the whole length of the spike bar 132. The lengths of the bars 128 and spikes 136 are such that upon vertical reciprocation of the lifting bars 128 by the mechanism before described, the spikes alternately descend into the carpeting at least the backing fabric thereof and are completely withdrawn from it.

The lateral shifting movement initiated by the cam disk 38 is imparted to the spike bar 132 by connection of the opposite end of the rod 92, whose first end is connected to the rocker arm 86, to the spike bar 132 by a universal joint 138 located near the left leg 14. According to the present invention, the spike bar lifting mechanism and lateral shifting mechanism are timed by angular placement of the reciprocating parts and orientation of the steps on the cam 50 so that the spikes enter the backing fabric about 180 degrees out of phase with the entry of the needles into the backing fabric. The lateral shifting mechanism shifts the spike bar and spikes laterally just before the needles enter the backing fabric and the spikes remain in the backing fabric until about the time the needles have reached their lowermost point. The spikes are then withdrawn.

Because the backing fabric travels continuously through the machine 10, and the spikes are in the fabric for a major portion of the cycle of operation of the machine as just described, the spikes and spike bar are carried appreciably forward by the backing fabric. Accordingly, positive means must be provided to return the spikes and spike bar to the point where the spikes should next engage the backing fabric. In the embodiment shown, the positive means are provided, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, by a plurality of contractile connecting rods 140 having universal joints 142, 144 at each end. The lower end joints 144 are secured to the lower sections of alternate lifting bars 128; the upper end joints 142 are secured to brackets 146 each of which is secured to the bottom of the head 16 and extends rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. Intermediate its end portions 148 each connecting rod 140 has a tubular portion 150 in which a coil spring or similar motion absorbing means are provided. The end portions 148 or one of them abuts the spring and is slidable with respect to the tube 150.

Accordingly, when the fabric, spikes and spike bar move together in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 5, the connecting rods contract by virtue of the compression of the springs just mentioned. Upon withdrawal of the spikes from the backing fabric the springs recover forcing the spike bar and spikes back upstream to the point where they should again enter the backing fabric. The universal joints 142 and 144. ensure that the operation of the connecting rods .will not be hindered by the vertical and lateral reciprocating and shifting movement of the spike bar and related mechanism as before described.

In order to prevent liftup of the backing fabric as the spikes and/ or the yarn inserting needles withdraw from the backing fabric, a presserfoot 152 is provided. The presserfoot 152 is a generally horizontal bar which is generally parallel to and coextensive with the spike bar. The presserfoot 152 is positioned closely adjacent the spike bar and path of the needles so asto have its lowermost surface in light engagement with, or spaced closely adjacent the backing fabric. Mounting for the presserfoot 152 comprises a plurality of brackets 154 secured to the bottom of the head 16 in interspersedrelationship with the mounting brackets of the contractile connecting arms. Each mounting bracket is shown in FIGURES 1 and 6 having an upper member 156 and a lower member 158. The upper member has a slot 160 in a horizontal portion thereof, through which a capscrew 162- extends to secure the bracket to the head. Each slot 160 is oriented so that the distance of the presserfoot from the needle path can be increased and decreased. The upper member 156 and lower member 158 of each bracket are secured to one another by a pin and slot arrangement 164 that allows the vertical distance between the bottom of the presserfoot and the top of the bed plate to be adjusted to accommodate the thickness of the backing fabric being used.

Accordingly as the backing fabric is drawn through the machine, between insertions of loops of yarn by the needles, the backing fabric in the vicinity of the path of the needles is shifted laterally according to a predetermined plan embodied in the cam 38 cam track causing somewhat zigzag rows of yarn loops to be in serted in the backing fabric..These zig-zag rows can be regular, i.e., alternating one loop step right and left, or may be irregular such as one-half step left, three steps right, four steps left, onehalf step right, etc., so as to cause a random appearing pattern to be formed. The random appearance of the pile can be accentuated by employing the apparatus of the invention together with conventional high-low pile producing apparatus and with variegated yarn.

It should now be apparent that the embodiment of the invention discussed herein efiiciently accomplishes each of the objects of the invention and clearly illustrates its priciples. Because the embodiment shown can be considerably modifiedyet accomplishes these objects and not depart from these principles the present invention should be understood as encompassing all such modifications as are within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for serially inserting a plurality of loops of yarn in a prefabricated backing fabric, said apparatus including at least one generally vertically reciprocable yarn carrying needle which is reciprocable between a lower position wherein it projects into and through said backing fabric and an upper position wherein it is completely withdrawn from said backing fabric, and rotatable means located upstream and downstream from the path of reciprocation of said needle for guiding and advancing the backing fabric to and beyond said path of reciprocation of said needle, the improvement comprising: means engageable with the needle entering side of said backing fabric intermediate said upstream anddownstream guiding and advancing means for shifting the portion of said backing fabric between said upstream and downstream guiding and advancing means which is within and adjacent the path of reciprocation of said needle laterally when said needle is withdrawn from said backing fabric to thereby, in association with said needle, effect the insertion of a row of yarn loops in which said row of yarn loops deviates from parallelism in zig-zag formation with the longitudinal direction of advance of said backing fabric from the downstream guiding and advancing means to the up stream guiding and advancing means; means intermittently reciprocating said means for shifting out of engagement with said backing fabric portion and back into a succeeding portion of said backing fabric; and means for cyclically controlling the sense and magnitude of lateral shifting of said backing fabric by said shifting means to there by impose a repeating pattern upon said row of yarn loops, wherein the means intermittently reciprocating said means for shifting comprises means for disengaging said shifting means cyclically from said backing fabric, and means for displacing said shifting means upstream upon each disengagement to thereby reposition said shifting means for engagement with the backing fabric.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shifting means comprises a plurality of laterally spaced vertically downwardly directed spikes disposed in at least one laterally extending row, said spikes being secured to a transversely extending bar.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for disengaging said shifting means comprises a rotatable drive shaft, a disk-like cam eccentrically mounted on said drive shaft, a cam follower peripherally engaging said cam' and having a first elongated projection extending generally radially with respect to said drive shaft; a reciprocably rotatable shaft; a second elongated projection fixed to said reciprocably rotatable shaft and extending generally radially with respect thereto; means pivotably securing said first elongated projection to said second elongated projection whereby rotation of said drive shaft effects rocking of said reciprocably rotatable shaft; a plurality of axially 9 spaced lifting levers fixed to said reciprocably rotatable shaft and extending generally radially and generally horizontally therefrom; a plurality of lifting rods pivotably secured at their upper ends to the outer ends of said lifting levers, said transversely extending bar being secured to the lower ends of said lifting rods.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for displacing said shifting means upstream includes at least one rod having upper securement means and lower securement means and compressible resilient means disposed between said upper and lower securement means, said lower securement means being pivotably secured to said shifting means in the lower region thereof, said upper securement means being pivotably secured to a stationary portion of said apparatus, the point of securement of said upper securement means being downstream from the path of reciprocation of said needle.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for cyclically controlling the sense and magnitude of lateral shifting of said backing fabric includes a cam, means for rotating said cam, a cam follower engageable with said cam, a connecting link secured at a first end thereof to said cam follower, the second end of said connecting link being operatively joined to said transversely extending bar.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 additionally comprising means independent of said cam for varying the magnitude of movement of said connecting link initiated by said cam and cam follower.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further including stationary means lightly engageable with the upper surface of said backing fabric adjacent the path of reciprocation of said needle for stripping said backing fabric from said shifting means once for each reciprocation of said needle.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lastmentioned means comprises a rotatable cam having means thereon for shifting the backing fabric which is within the path of reciprocation of said needles by amounts which are (a) less than the distance between adjacent of said needles, (b) equal to said distance, and (c) greater than said distance.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,411,267 11/1946 Hamrick 112-79 2,679,218 5/1954 Jones 112-79 2,855,879 10/1958 Manning et al. 112-79 2,977,905 4/1961 Cobble et al 112-79 3,109,395 11/1963 Batty et al. 112-79 3,203,388 8/1965 Parlin et al 112-79 X 3,249,078 5/ 1966 Nowicki 112-79 X 3,282,235 11/1966 Crawford 112-79 GORDON FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. F. ROSS, Examiner. 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR SERIALLY INSERTING A PLURALITY OF LOOPS OF YARN IN A PREFABRICATED BACKING FABRIC SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE GENERALLY VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE YARN CARRYING NEEDLE WHICH IS RECIPROCABLE BETWEEN A LOWER POSITION WHEREIN IT PROJECTS INTO SAID THROUGH SAID BACKING FABRIC AND AN UPPER POSITION WHEREIN IT IS COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN FROM SAID BACKING FABRIC, AND ROTATABLE MEANS LOCATED UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM FROM THE PATH OF RECIPROCATION OF SAID NEEDLE FOR GIDING AND ADVANCING THE BACKING FABRIC TO AND BEYOND SAID PATH OF RECIPROTION OF SAID NEEDLE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMRPISING; MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE NEEDLE ENTERING SIDE OF SAID BACKING FABRIC INTERMEDIATE SAID UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM GUIDING AND ADVANCING MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE PORTION OF SAID BACKING FABRIC BETWEEN SAID UPSTREAM AND DONWSTREAM GUIDING AND ADVANCING MEANS WHICH IS WITHIN SAID ADJACENT THE PATH OF RECIPROCATION OF SAID NEEDLE LATERALLY WHEN SAID NEEDLE IS WIEHDRAWN FROM SAID BACKING FABRIC TO THEREBY, IN ASSOCIATION WITH SAID NEEDLE, EFFECT THE INSERTION OF 